1. Field
Certain embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to blood collection devices and are particularly related to inhibiting accidental contact with needles in or on such devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Blood analysis is an important diagnostic tool available to healthcare professionals. A significant aspect of modern medical care is the ability to collect samples of blood for analysis. In some cases, blood is collected by a syringe with a needle. The needle is inserted into a patient's vein and the plunger of the syringe is drawn back to aspirate a sample of blood into the syringe. However, operating the plunger while maintaining the needle in the vein can be difficult. Also, as the syringe can only hold a single sample, multiple needle insertions may be needed when more than one sample of blood is desired.
In other cases, blood is collected with a multi-sample sleeve, which usually includes two needle ends. The first needle end is inserted into the vein of a patient and the second needle end is configured to be inserted into a blood collection tube. Such blood collection tubes may have an evacuated chamber (e.g., containing a vacuum) and a self-sealing cap. When the blood collection tube is engaged with the second needle end, the needle pierces the self-sealing cap and the pressure difference between the evacuated tube and the vein causes blood to be aspirated into the tube. When the blood collection tube is removed from the second needle end, the self-sealing cap reseals the tube, thereby providing a sealed sample of blood. Furthermore, the first needle end can be maintained in the vein and additional blood collection tubes can be engaged with the second needle end to collect additional samples.
Due to the numerous potential hazards associated with the handling and manipulation of bodily fluids, and particularly blood, there are a number of safety features that can be incorporated into various types of blood collection devices. For example, some blood collection devices have needles that are provided with a removable cap that generally prevents needle sticks while the cover is in place. When the cap is removed, the needle is exposed. These caps are removed before a blood collection procedure and replaced after the procedure before discarding the needle. Among other concerns, this removal and replacement procedure creates a risk of accidental needle sticks.
Some blood collection devices have features that a user must activate in order to provide protection. For example, some blood collection devices include a hinged arm that the user can press to cause the arm to swing over the needle. Notably, such “active” safety mechanisms are not engaged unless and until the user takes an action to specifically engage the mechanism. In the stressful and fast-paced environment of many medical facilities, e.g., emergency rooms, users can neglect to trigger such active safety mechanisms, thereby rendering such mechanisms ineffective.
Blood collection devices are frequently configured to be disposable; that is, they are intended to be used only once and then thrown away. However, some blood collection devices fail to prevent reuse or other subsequent contact with the device, which can, for example, increase the likelihood of transferring blood or tissue-born diseases from one patient to another.